Debrief+2013


 * This page is for the VIDM Committee Members (and anyone else) to post observations and thoughts about how VIDM 2013 went so we can prepare for the 2013 debrief meeting.**

**Processes**
Sarah S - loved the domain and email system - definitely worth spending the money to keep that going.
 * Need to archive everything from this year....Chris...will you do that...how will we have access to it?
 * Thought the generic email made it easier to collaborate. I must be more organised about how I use ie send all the resources (eg certificates of attendance) via the email system so they are there for everyone, although they are also here on the wiki.
 * I would prefer that people have private conversations outside of the system ie speakers and facilitators to use their own email to speak to each so it doesn't clog up Fastmail
 * Need to be a little earlier with organisation next year. I will put together a time line in the next few weeks so that we are really on to it next year...starting first thing in January.
 * Really appreciated our increased collaborative approach this year. But I need to hear from people nearly on a daily basis in that run up to the conference (last 10 days) so that I know exactly where things are up to.
 * Tracking document was excellent but people need to keep it updated daily in the run up to the conference

Chris W
 * I will archive all the emails from this year's conference. I'll keep it in Fastmail (in a suitably named new folder) so nothing new to access
 * Did the three generic email addresses work? Did the division info@/admin@/facilitator@ add value, or at least not add complexity. It seemed to work from where I was sitting. I think admin @ and info@ did the same thing. I would prefer to have either of those emails, and have speaker @ for speaker communication.
 * I agree Sarah's suggestion about a protocol for answering emails. Encourage speakers and facilitators to exchange emails without coping @vidm.org.
 * At the risk of cloggng up our inboxes, I think whenever we answer an email we should bcc the appropriate @vidm.org address. That way the recipient sees the conversation as a private one, but we all know an email has been answered. Alternatively, answer from the Fastmail account, if that seems appropriate, but bcc: the committee.
 * I note that Sarah S's penultimate bullet says "But I need... ... so that I know...". Is this just a style and really talking about leading up to the 203 event, or have you (Sarah) changed your mind about stepping down from being the lead? Sarah - we can discuss this at our debrief meeting. I would like to stay involved - I think its useful to have a grand facilitator...the role I have been taking...but am extremely happy for someone else to take that role and I step back...If someone is going to take on this leadership rile, then I think its imperative we start working in December. As I said, I'll develop a time line as a support to us all.
 * I agree about getting a good start for 2014. My suggestion is that we hold an initiation meeting in early December where we agree/find out who's going to be able to be involved for planning and running the 2014 event and maybe some key dates for the schedule (e.g. issuing the Call for EOI; deadline for receipt of EOIs), plus schedule the first (or first couple) of meeting dates for January.

Deb
 * I wondered about dividing up the world into 3-4 zones and having someone (or a team) take overall responsibility for each zone. That would include having a back-up speaker if we unexpectedly lose a presenter in that zone (Sarah and I had back up plans for the times we were awake but not sure if there were any plans for other time zones), ensuring the social media "conversations" continued eg putting comments, information and photos on to the facebook site, and potentially liaising and practising with the speakers from that zone.

**Technology**
Sarah S - thought the layout of the room worked extremely well.
 * Having webcams obviously didn't work - put stress on people's connections.
 * Loved the photos where you could see them all the time.
 * Need a room of at least 170 seats next year
 * Audio quality of recordings is a little disappointing
 * Hugely grateful to Thorkild being around to support us at the beginning of the event
 * How can we better track the number of people accessing the event eg individual vs groups? Do we need to enable some sort of registration process?
 * More information on wiki about how to access Adobe Connect on mobile devices.
 * Thanks to Lorraine and Annette for facilitating practice sessions - I had hardly anyone coming to mine

Chris W
 * I liked the Conference Room layout
 * I thought having three rooms was very, very useful.
 * I thought the speaker photo in lieu of streaming video was a brilliant idea
 * I think we should write a formal "Thank You" to Thorkild, in a form that he could use in his performance management dialogue with his manager. And make it specific and explicit about what he did, nit just how much we appreciated it. Happy to craft a form of words, perhaps with Annette to give some guidance on "house style" for the performance management process at University College Lillebælt
 * Registration would help gauge intended participation. We could perhaps suggest that when people log in to the system they include a number in parentheses of how many people are there sat the start of the session. Or ask places with multiple attendees to include in the chat window how many people are actually there.

**Speakers**
Sarah S - have to be stricter with the speakers. They MUST have met their facilitators in the meeting room at least 1 week before the conference. If they do not, they will be booted off the program, unless there is a really good reason. This means we have to be earlier with our organising processes next year.
 * Thought having the generic email really helped to make the EOI process a democratic one.
 * Language was a major issue this year as opposed to access to internet.

Chris W Deb
 * Great idea to have a speaker's deadline, with sanction, for meeting with her/his facilitator. I suggest we have a deadline for a workable draft of the presentation too, also with a "removed from the programme" sanction. Include these rules of engagement in the Call for EOI, so there's no chance of any misunderstanding.
 * Include guidelines for the presentation in the EOI, again so there's no excuse about lead time for speakers knowing what their commitment is.
 * Is it worth having a "reserve" category when we're selecting speakers from the EOI responses. These would be people who we would like to hold themselves ready to step into the breach if a speaker drops out - whether they take themselves out (e.g. illness) or we boot the speaker out.
 * A short bio for each speaker would be useful.

**Facilitation**
Sarah S - I wander if we should have a rule...that people have to attend a VIDM before they can go on to facilitate, unless they have an expertise as online facilitators. I think there is a real tension between building capacity and the difference that an experienced facilitator makes to the proceedings.

Chris W Deb
 * I like Sarah S's suggested criteria for accepting a facilitator.
 * I think we should start a call for facilitators in early December, right after my suggested initiation meeting. For example, one of my ex-colleagues from Royal Mail facilitated in 2012, was interested for 2013 but had a commitment for the VIDM weekend.
 * Powerpoints need to be loaded well in advance.
 * It was great that some of the presentations were reviewed in advance so we could advise the speaker on amending them (this significantly improved some of the presentations)

**Master facilitation**
Sarah S. Great job by everyone
 * Need a "spare" presentation in case things do not go to plan. Deb and I had plan B for out time zone but didn't have the reassurance that our night time was covered.

Chris W Deb
 * I like the idea of spare presentations. I suggest 2 or 3, especially if we're going to be strict with speakers about engaging with their facilitators.
 * I felt really "safe" and happy to have you wonderful people there for support. Huge thanks!

**Sponsorship**
Sarah S- need to cover costs of domain and email
 * need virtual room
 * ?incentive to complete feedback form

Chris W
 * I think I recall Linda saying she thinks ARM would be fine for this year's level of sponsorship for the 2014 event. The 2013 cost was US$39.95. I am happy to pay for domain again as it was only about $18au-Sarah

Social Media
Sarah S - Loved the photos, not only for the video but also Facebook.
 * Need to have 24 hours cover for social media during the day, especially when Sarah B and I are off to bed.
 * Do we need an Instagram account next year?

Chris W
 * Instagram sounds like a good idea. We could start drip feeding pictures in advance of the conference to stimulate interest. Perhaps committee meeting photos? Screen shots of the conference room being prepared? Repeat some of the 2013 photos?

=Survey form= Sarah - How about having a rating system for each session - would enable some sort of feedback to speakers - or is it too scary an idea?